A 55-year-old Texas man who told police he was in "an imaginary relationship" with WNBA star Caitlin Clark was sentenced to 2½ years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to stalking and harassing the Indiana Fever guard.
Michael Lewis, of Denton, Texas, reached a deal with Marion County prosecutors in which he pleaded guilty to one felony count of stalking and one misdemeanor count of harassment. He will get credit for time served at the Marion County Adult Detention Center since his arrest.
Lewis also was ordered to stay away from Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Fever events and Indiana Pacers organization events, as well as to have no contact with Clark, who is 23. He also will not be allowed internet access during his sentence.
"This resolution ensures that the defendant is held accountable for his threatening actions, the fear he instilled, and the disruption he caused," Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said, according to WTHR Channel 13 in Indianapolis. "He will now spend the next 2½ years in the Department of Correction and the victim will be able to have peace of mind while focusing on what matters to her."
The judge also recommended that Lewis, who said during Monday's courtroom proceedings that the end of the world was coming, get mental health treatment.
"You can't help yourself until you get help," the judge told Lewis.
Lewis was arrested Jan. 12 after authorities alleged he sent hundreds of "threats and sexually explicit messages" on X to Clark between Dec. 12, 2024, and Jan. 11, 2025.
"Been driving around your house 3x a day," Lewis messaged to Clark, according to court documents. "But don't call the law just yet, the publc is allowed to drive by gainbridge..aka Caitlin's Fieldhouse."
"I'm getting tickets. I'm sitting behind the bench," another message read.
"They said I was sending threatening texts..but the only though on my mind was....CAITLIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNN," another read.
Other messages were sexually violent, according to court documents.
The FBI tracked the IP addresses of Lewis' messages to a hotel in downtown Indianapolis as well as the Indianapolis Public Library. Indianapolis police then made a welfare check on Lewis, according to court documents, and he told officers that he was in "an imaginary relationship" with Clark and that he came to Indianapolis on vacation.
The messages to Clark continued after the initial visit by police.
Clark, the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, has been limited to 13 games this season because of injuries and is currently sidelined with a strained right groin.
In December, a 40-year-old man from Oregon pleaded guilty to stalking Paige Bueckers and was given a one-year suspended sentence and three years' probation.
ESPN's Katie Barnes and The Associated Press contributed to this report.